1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to new transportation system in which transportation means are expediently combined.
2. Description of the Related Art
This transportation system according to the invention is characterized by a mobile transportation device to be carried in a vehicle that is larger than the transportation device. The mobile transportation device can be operated in the same way as a cart which is driven by muscle power by pushing and/or pulling and comprises an electrical drive mechanism which is activated by operating the cart. The vehicle has provisions for carrying the mobile transportation device.
Advantageously, the invention can solve transportation problems which result when the larger vehicle for some reason cannot reach directly the loading or unloading location and the objects to be loaded or unloaded thus must be transported across a relatively large distance to or from the vehicle. It is now ensured that for these transportation needs a mobile transportation device is available at any time by inventively carrying it in the vehicle. Carrying the transportation device within the vehicle does not present any particular problems because the vehicle is inventively designed for such carrying purposes. The vehicle and the transportation device thus form a functional unit.
According to a possible application field for the present invention, the larger vehicle is preferably a car or minivan, and the mobile transportation device provides loading capacities which are comparable to those of shopping carts as they are used in wholesale markets where they are used for transporting the goods purchased from the store to the parking lot. Accordingly, the aforementioned embodiment of the inventive transportation system can be used for shopping in inner city areas, where between the sale location and the parking lot generally greater distances must be overcome than even in wholesale markets, but where shopping carts for general use are unavailable. The invention thus eliminates the inconveniences often accompanying shopping in inner city areas of transporting purchased goods over greater distances to a parking lot. Accordingly, the invention can encourage that the essentially more interesting shopping in the inner city area is preferred over shopping at wholesale markets at the edge of town. The invention thus in the end provides a contribution to the preservation of inner cities.
Because of the electrical drive, heavier purchased goods, whose purchase in inner city stores had hardly been considered because of the inconvenient transportation, can be transported without effort.
Preferably, the electrical drive unit comprises a drive control that detects via sensors the muscle force exerted for driving and then adjusts the drive force of the drive unit in a compensating manner based on a predetermined value of a muscle force to be exerted. The movable transportation device with a drive unit controlled in this way thus provides the user with a drive resistance that is constant under any driving condition and that can be adjusted so as to be comfortable, while the much great portion of the required drive force is provided by the electrical drive unit.
Preferably, the predetermined value of the muscle force to be exerted can be adjusted in order to take into account individual requirements. Since the user himself delivers a comfortably determined portion of the drive energy, the battery capacity of the drive can be dimensioned correspondingly small which has a beneficial effect on the total mass of the mobile transporting device.
The motor-driven mobile transportation device is thus to be operated like a device to be driven by pushing or pulling wherein the transportation device for changing the travel direction can be steered by a pulling or/and pushing rod that transmits the muscle force.
As provisions for transporting the transportation device, the vehicle may be provided with preferably standardized holding devices. These holding devices, for example, comprise a shape-matched receiving space for the transportation device and/or shape-matched receiving niches for portions of the transportation device so that it can be stored within the vehicle in a safe and space-saving manner. The holding devices can comprise additional means for securing the transportation device to the vehicle.
Advantageously, the mobile transportation device can be folded with reduction of its size to standardized dimensions, preferably collapsed to standard dimensions and the holding devices are thus provided for securing, optionally also for holding together, the transportation device in the collapsed state. It is also possible that the holding devices can assist in collapsing the transportation device in that, for example, the mobile device for the purpose of collapsing is fastened to the holding locations so as to be suitably supported.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the transportation device that is being carried in the vehicle is functionally connected to the vehicle. For example, a device, connected to the electrical system of the vehicle is provided for charging the battery of the electrical drive. A further functional connection with the vehicle could be that the vehicle comprises a signaling device which indicates the presence or absence of the mobile device in the vehicle. With such a signaling device it can be ensured that the mobile device after use is again stored in the vehicle and is not left behind. In the extreme, it could be provided that the engine of the vehicle cannot be started when the mobile transportation device is not properly stored in the vehicle.
In a special embodiment, the mobile transportation device comprises a container or can be coupled to a container for receiving goods, wherein this container preferably has standardized dimensions. Accordingly, the larger vehicle can have standardized receiving spaces, and it is possible that the mobile transportation device can be driven into such a receiving space for being carried. In addition to being part of the transportation system, such standardized small containers could be of general use for sending objects, wherein correspondingly standardized receiving mounts, for example, in storage or sales rooms are provided.